Air conditioning system



Feb. 27, 1940. A. PHlLlPP 2,191,622

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM Filed March 10, 1934 INVENTOR.

Lam na: 1y. PIY/L/PP mmw ' ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 27, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AIR CONDITIONINGSYSTEM land Application March 10, 1934, Serial No. 714,900

1 Claim.

absorber. In carrying out the above object, it is another object of theinvention to vary the effecl tive area of the heat absorber over whichthe air circulates in accordance with variations in temperature of theair.

Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription, reference be-' lit ing had to the accompanying drawingwherein a preferred form of embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

The figure in the drawing is a diagrammatic view of an air conditioningsystem.

25 In accordance with the present system, a heat absorber is utilizedfor removing sensible heat and, at times, removing latent heat from theair and the system incorporates controls for maintaining the heatexchange between the air and 30' the absorber such that the properhumidity and temperature conditions are insured. In carrying out theinvention, the amount of air contacting with the absorber -is controlledby the temperature of the air, 1. e., when the air temperature 35increases above normal, the amount of air flow over the absorber isincreased to again tend to.

reduce the temperature of the air, and vice versa. Also the humidity ofthe air is controlled, by a device responsive to changes in humiditycondi- 40 tion, by increasing and decreasing the flow of refrigeratingmedium through the absorber.

Referring to the illustrated form of the invention, there is provided acabinet 20 which is closed on all sides except the top 2|. A partition22 depends from the top 2| and extends from the front to the rear of thecabinet for dividing the same into two main compartments 24 and 25. Thepartition 22 stops short of the bottom of the cabinet so that air canfreely flow from compartment 24 to compartment 25. A fan 28, driven by amotor 21, is disposed in compartment 24 and causes air to flow firstdownwardly through compartment 24 and then upwardly through compartment25, the air entering compartment 24 between the louvers 28 and expellingbetween the louvers 29.

Any suitable means may be employed for cooling the air as it passesthrough the cabinet and in the form illustrated a heat absorber, in theform of a water coil 30 having fins 3|, is utilized. The water coil isdisposed within and to one 'side of compartment 24 and the fins extendin the direction of air flow. Cold water enters the coil 30 by way ofpipe 33 and is carried away by pipe 34.

Various methods and apparatus may be used for controlling the amount ofair that contacts with the water coil 30. In the present illustration,the fan is operated constantly and at a constant speed and the flow ofair over the coil 30 is controlled by baflle mechanism. A stationaryplate 36 having perforations 3 1 is attached to the front and rear wallsof the cabinet and is disposed at an angle above the coil 30. A slid- 2oable plate 38 is carried above the plate 36 and is provided withperforations 39 adapted to register with perforations 31 in plate 36, asshown. Movement of the plate 38 'to the right will cause said plate topartly or wholly obstruct the flow of air through plate 36. In thismanner the quantity of air flowing over the water coil is controlled.The amount of heat removed from the air will be governed by the amountof air flowing over and the amount of refrigerating medium flowing 30through the coil 30' and in order to control the amount of sensible heatremoved in accordance with the need, I provide a thermostatic control 4|for the movement of plate 38. This control 4| comprises a bellowsstructure 42 which is held stationary at the center thereof. Theopposite ends of the bellows structure 42 are closed and one end isconnected with plate 38 by a link 43 and the other end is movablelongitudinally by an adjusting screw 45. Bellows structure 42 contains avolatile fluid and is disposed in the path of the air and thereforeresponsive to variations in air temperature. The bellows structure 42 isshown in the position it assumes when the air is At this time, per- 45at its warmest temperature. forations 31 and 39 are in full registry andthe maximum amount of air flows over the water coil 30. When thetemperature of the air decreases, the bellows will contract and move theplate 38 to the left gradually decreasing the amount of air flowing overthe cooling coil 30 inaccordance with decrease in temperature of theair. When the temperature of the air increases, the bellows 42 willexpand to increase the amount of air flow over the coil 30.

vide a .humidostat 48 and an automatically operated valve 49. Valve 49is connected in parallel with 001199 by pipes 50 and 5|. This valveincludes a casing 52 containing a solenoid core 53 which functions as avalve. Core 53 is raised by a magnetic coil 54 which coil is controlledby the humidostat 48. The circuit for the coil 54 includes wire 56,humidostat 48, wire 51, coil 54 and wire 58.

When the relative humidity is too high, humidostat 48 closes valve 49 sothat all of the Water passes through the heat absorber coil 30 thuscausing the heat absorber to decrease in temperature and the heatabsorber will be decreased to such temperature so that the air is cooledto considerably below the dew point thereofthereby causing condensationof and precipitation of moisture from the air. This water will drip tothe bottom of the cabinet 29 and will be drained therefrom by the drainpipe 60. It may be and it is usually desirable to permit somerefrigerating medium to flow through the coil 30 when the relativehumidity is proper and for this purpose I provide a restriction in thepipe system 50, 5| in the form of a restricting valve 8|. Therefore,although the valve 49 is open, only a restricted amount of water flowstherethrough, as governed by the valve 6|, and some water consequentlywill flow through the coil 30. When the desired relative humidity isattained, humidostat 48 opens valve 49 to by-pass some of the water andcauses less water to fiow through the coil 30, sufficient for removingprincipally sensible heat from the air flowing thereover.

Aspreviously stated, the motor fan 21 operates constantly, itbeingconnected with wires 56 and 58 by wires 63 and 54.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided an airconditioning system which main-' talns desired temperature and humidityconditions. The temperature of the air is controlled by governing theamount of air passing over the heat absorber coil 30. This isaccomplished by the thermostat 4| which is responsive to airtemperature. The relative humidity of the air is maintained betweenpredetermined high and low limits by the humidostat 48 which is placedpreferably in the room in which the air is being conditioned. Thehumidostat opens the valve 49 after the relative humidity of the air inthe room is decreased to a certain value and maintains the valve openuntil the relative humidity of the air increases to a higher and maximumdesired relative hu midity at which time it will interrupt the circuitto magnetic coil 54 to permit the core valve 53 to close on its seat.Then all of the water will be directed through the heat absorber coil39.

Under certain conditions, it may be desirable to cause someprecipitation of moisture when the valve 49 is open, and it is to beunderstood that when the heat absorber is referred to as functioning toremove principally sensible heat from the air when the valve 49 is open,such term is used merely to define the main functional purpose of theabsorber at that time. as distinguished from its main functional purposeat the time valve 49 is closed.

While the form ofembodiment of the present invention as herein describedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claim whichfollows.

I claim:

An air conditioning system comprising in combination, a heat absorberthrough which a refrigerating mediumfiows and over which air to .beconditioned is circulated, a conduit for refrigerating medium connectedin parallel with the heat absorber, said conduit having a restrictedpassage, a valve for controlling the flow of refrigerating mediumthrough said conduit, and means for controlling the temperature andhumidity of the air while the air is being circulated at a substantiallyconstant rate comprising a device responsive to air temperature forcontrolling the amount of sensible heat removed from the air by theabsorber and a device re.-

sponsive to the relative humidity of the airfor controlling the valve.

LAWRENCE A. PHILIPP.

